Spring 2014

A Gift That Keeps On Giving

By Walter Villa

Jeffrey L. Sain and Maria D. Ellul Sain know first-hand the value
of a great education.

Now, with an endowment they have set up at Barry in the
name of their eldest daughter, Victoria, they want other
bright, young students to know and appreciate that value
as well.

Victoria, 26, graduated from Barry this spring with a
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree, and she wants to
ensure that others get the same great opportunity that
she received.

“The goal of the endowment is to make sure that anyone
who would want to go on this path and pursue podiatric
medicine would have some financial assistance,” said Victoria.
“My parents set up the endowment, but as I achieve success [as a
doctor], I will contribute as well.”

Victoria said the scholarship won’t be awarded only on the basis of need.

“I believe in the podiatric medicine program at Barry,” said Victoria, who had a 3.5
GPA at the school. “And I believe that students appreciate when they are rewarded for
their accomplishments, their success, and their talents.”

Victoria grew up in Silver Lake, Ohio and completed her undergraduate work at The
Ohio State University. Her sister Elizabeth is majoring in dietetics at the University of
Akron. Both sisters attended Our Lady of the Elms High School in Akron, Ohio, an
all-girls college preparatory school run by Dominican nuns, which gave them an
excellent foundation in becoming scholars and leaders. Her father, Jeffrey, has a master’s
degree and is a teacher. Her mother, Maria, has a doctorate degree and is a principal
scientist and chemist for ExxonMobil. Jeffrey L. Sain
and Maria D. Ellul Sain, who still live in Silver Lake,
place a high priority on supporting educational
institutions, and they hope their gift will inspire others
to consider philanthropic giving at Barry.

“My husband and I believe that an education is the
best gift you can give your children,” Maria said.

The family put a lot of thought into why they wanted
to create the endowment at Barry. “Some parents give
their children an expensive car,” Maria said. “But we
thought this would be a more lasting and enduring
gift. When Victoria decided she was going to study
medicine and chose Barry, we were very supportive.
She is getting a quality degree, and we wanted to
establish this endowed scholarship to help the school
and to encourage others – including our daughters – to
embrace philanthropy.”

It is evident that she has carried forth those same
principles.

“Not a single person who achieves gets to where
they are without help, whether it’s advice,
mentorship, or scholarship,” Victoria
said.

Victoria enjoyed a special
feeling at Barry. “The
administrators and professors
were wonderful,” she
said. “It was such a
welcoming atmosphere – a
tight-knit community
where I made lifelong
friends. Medical school is a
very arduous process and it
can be highly competitive and
cutthroat. But at Barry, we all
banded together. I don’t think I
would have gotten through it all
without my friends and vice versa.”

Victoria’s spirit of helping others and giving back will
not end with the endowment. Her career choice of
becoming a doctor was specifically chosen for that
same selfless reason. “When you see a patient who
can’t walk, and you relieve their pain, it’s very
gratifying,” she said. “You see the looks on their faces,
and it’s amazing.”

For more information on creating an endowed scholarship,
contact Sara B. Herald, vice president for institutional
advancement and external affairs.